Sunday, July 25, 2010

Am I Cursed or Lucky?

Congratulations to Virginia C at gcwhiskas@aol.com for winning the signed copy of Secret Life a Vampire. Please contact me, Virginia, at kerrelyn@earthlink.net, so I can get your prize mailed to you.

The answer: it depends on whether you enjoy short bursts of sheer terror.

We're packing at the Sparks house, getting ready to drive to Orlando for the Romance Writers of America conference and some fun (or sheer terror) at Disney World. This will be our fourth trip to Disney World. The last time we were there was at Christmas time. And that was when I realized we were trapped in a definite pattern. I call it a curse, but my daughter calls it lucky. She enjoys short bursts of sheer terror.

When we arrived last Christmas, we headed immediately to the Animal Kingdom park to ride the Mt.Everest rollercoaster. We had never ridden it before because it was under construction on our previous visit. While we waited in line, I prayed that it wouldn't be too scary. You see, I'm deathly afraid of heights and really hate the sensation of falling (aka plummeting to my demise with a noisy splat). Finally it was our turn to board the rollercoaster and as the eternally happy attendants directed my daughter and I to the front row seat on the front car, I thought 'not again!' And that's when I realized how truly cursed I was. During our last visit, my daughter and I were given front row seats over and over again (for Splash Mt, Thunder Mt., Rockin' Roller Coaster, you name it-- we were on the front row).

The curse had followed me back to Disney World. Front row on the Mt Everest rollercoaster. My daughter was delighted. I was terrified. My husband sat behind us, snickering. The ride from hell commenced. I steeled my nerves, determined to remain calm and cool. Within seconds, I was screaming my head off. At the end of the ride, I was shaking so badly, the eternally happy attendant had to help me out of the car (and he was chuckling, damn him). I was hoarse for the rest of the day.

The curse continued. Front row on Splash Mt and Thunder Mt. Then we went to the Hollywood Studios park for the true test of the curse-- the infamous Rockin' Roller Coaster ride. This sadistic journey into the dark pit of hell starts off by accelerating from zero to sixty in about two seconds. Then it loops you upside down a few times completely in the dark. Its only saving grace is the total darkness. You can't see the loop coming, and by the time you realize you're upside down, you're already right side up-- it happens so fast. This form of torture is so popular that kids would sell their parents in order to get the front row seat. And wouldn't you know-- my daughter and I were directed to the front row seat. Again! Now I ask you, what are the odds of going on that ride three times and getting the front row seat all three times!?!It's a curse!!!

Now this trip, I'll be spending most of my time at the RWA conference, so my husband and daughter will be off doing the Mt Everest ride and Rockin' Roller Coaster without me. I'm very curious to see if the curse will continue. Does the curse lie with me...or with my daughter? Will they get the front row seat without me there?

How about you? Do you enjoy thrill rides? Or are you like me, and you ride them even though they scare you to death? Or do you do the sensible thing and stay off them. (Note: why don't I do the sensible thing? Do I need therapy? oops, don't answer that). Leave a comment and I'll pick a winner at random to receive a signed copy of Secret Life of a Vampire (which just won the Award of Excellence for Best Paranormal Romance of 2009). Good luck!

81 comments:

Ashley1297
said...

I am also deathly afraid of heights! when i was a teen i took my first ride and almost stood up on the ride so never will i ever do that again! The family wants to go to busch gardens and i'm on the verg of staying here and reading a good book and staying safe and clear from any roller coaster! lolYour luck on always getting the first seat is really bad, im sorry bout that. I think your curse is bound to continue though :D. on a brighter note....

You are the most amazing writer ever! you make the other world so sureal that sometimes it sucks to come back to reality!

No way, never. I am afraid of heights and freeze like I'm made of stone. I'll never go on thrill rides again lol lol Did it when I was younger and those rides were nothing compared to the rides today. I'm happy to stand on the sides listening to all of you screaming. lol lolHave fun Sherrelyn in Orlando.And I love the title Vampire Mine for Connors book. Great choice.Carol L.Lucky4750@aol.com

I enjoy thrill rides once in a while. I'm usually terrified but also find it exhilarating. That's why I don't go on the extreme ones.BTW, great cover for Secret Life of a Vampire. Nice little tattoo.tamsyn5@yahoo.com

I used to hate roller coasters, but then I quit trying to control them (go figure). Once I learned to give myself up to the ride, I loved them. What truly terrifies me about roller coasters are the lines.

I have a love hate relationship with thrill rides. I'm terrified of heights, but I'm stubborn. So if someone says, "bet you won't go on this ride." I'm stubborn enough to get in line. Then I'm sweating and nervous the whole wait in line. Now, after the ride is over I love the adrenaline. So much so that I want to do it again. It's a vicious cycle.

How funny. The last time I went to Disney Mt.Everest was being built. Then we went this June. I am afraid of heights and the plummet too, but this time I thought "WTF!?" It looks cool so let's do it! It was over so fast. I think the older we get, the less we worry about what scares us.

Thanks for the book offer! I haven't read your books yet, but based on what I am hearing I can't wait to try them:)

Hi Kerrelyn, I stay off all those scary rides. My mom lives 15 minutes from Disney so I've been there many times. As a child I rode Space Mountain. It scared me to death and made me sick. When I got older I thought I'd give it another try. No way. Still made me ill. Instead of heading to Disney now I much prefer Sea World. :-)I hope you have a great time at the signing. I wish I could go but I'm saving my $ for a trip next fall.

Hi, hope it's OK to contact you here. We would love to include your blog on our giveaway search engine: Giveaway Scout (http://www.giveawayscout.com). Have a look and if interested, use our online form to add your blog (http://www.giveawayscout.com/addblog/ ). thanks, Josh

I'm just like you! I cannot stand the feeling of falling but whenever I go to a theme park I always convince myself to go on a roller coaster (I NEVER get in the front seat thankfully!) and I always end up screaming and hating myself for it. Have fun at the RWA!

In my younger days, I loved rollercoasters. But now I don't ride them at all. It is mainly because I am disabled and can not risk the jurking on my back (don't want to end up in a wheelchair)Hights don't bother me much but small places terrify me.

I live in Orlando, and I love riding roller coasters. Give me the front seat any time, I love it. Yes, I get butterflies in my stomach when I'm about to go screaming straight down, and I scream my head off, but then I start laughing and enjoy the heck out of it.Hope you enjoy RWA and since I'm hoping to attend the literacy signing, I'll see you there.

First congrats!!! Second I can't wait to see you in Orlando. And third...I don't ride roller coasters! Don’t like them. That feeling of your stomach going up to your mouth just makes me sick! Like yours, my daughter and husband both are thrill seekers. And both know that I will never do these rides with them. Your daughter and husband should try Universal Studios. There are a couple of rides there that will get their blood flowing.

I have read all of your books and love, love, love them. Thanks for hours of fun!!!

I am scared of those rides. When I was very young, late teens and early twenties, I would ride them, but since I got some sense in my head I do not ride them. I do not think I could now. The most daring ride I ride are the water rides. I make myself get on them :)

I'm afraid of heights, highspeed, and anything that make me go upside down. You could not make me go on a ride today. I would need a barf bag. (excuse me, but so true) I Loved you sharing with us today! Have fun at the RWA conference!

My husband and I always get in line for all the thrill rides hoping one or the other will chicken out as we are both afraid of heights and really don't want to go...but don't want to be the one that is afraid. Sadly, we wind up going on most of the rides and I am usually screaming at the top of my lungs in fright. I guess we never learn no matter what our age...ha,ha.

Congrats on the best paranormal! You rock, Kerry. I have a win now, thanks to your urging me to join RWA. Yes, I love thrill rides, though not as much as I used to. When we were at Disney, hubby's back was a prob so we didn't go on Everest. Maybe next time. Blessings-and can't wait to read Connor's story.Raven

I have a love hate relationship with roller coasters, but my curse seems to be I always get the last row. No matter what ride I do on its the last row. But lately when I go to theme parks, I stay off the ride, in order to let my sister and her husband ride them, and I watch their children, I think I had the better trade off.

First off, Congrats on the award!!!!Second, when I was young I used to be terrified of going on roller coasters. I really wanted to be cool and I used to go to a theme park with my older cousin and her friends, sooo she forced me to go on them. Ever since then I have loved them!

Hey Kerrelyn-I'm with you!!! I scream the ENTIRE length of the ride! My family & friends now know that I WILL do this, so they no longer ask me to go on such rides. They are shamed by my behavior-but I am damn proud of it because it gets me my way-lol! Happy packing and I will see you on safe level ground soon! If I win-please pull another winner because I already have my autographed copy of the bookthat made me fall in love with your vamps and your writing! OX!

I am afraid of heights but I love my roller coasters. When it's starts I'm shaking but by the time it is over I want to go again. Scariest thing I ever done? Jumped out of a plane at 12,000 feet. I decribe it as terrifyingly awesome.

I stay off of the roller coasters! I am terrified of hieghts and have a weak stomach and off lost my cookies next to my friends, that thought it was cute to make me ride! They don't ask anymore!!!! Feet firmly on the groundis just fine with me...

Thanks for all the comments! Yes, I do scream a lot during the rides, but my family doesn't get embarrassed over it. They are shameless! My daughter laughs and my husband smirks and says something like "I married a screamer, hee hee." And then I have to punch him. LOL But I guess in some strange way, I enjoy it all or I wouldn't do it.

LOL - Will you come back and let us know? I'm curious now. I'm local to Disney, but I do the sensible thing and don't go on those rides. Luckily, my kids are all 7 and under, so they don't try to drag me on them yet, either.

Hi, I have been on the Rockin' Roller Coaster ride..And like you me and my daughter got the front seat..I didn't know it went up-side down or that it was in the pitch dark or that it went sixty mph..I do now know when I scream it's a very high pitch nail across the black board kind of scream..that can go on an on with out needing to take a breath..lol Needless to say I haven't been back on it since..Of course my daughter loved it..

I'm not a big thrill ride person either. My problem is that I get sick to my stomach (not always bad) so I just don't get on them. Now...every once in a while I will get on one (usually nagged into doing it) and I just let everyone know that they may be paying the consequences. LOL Thank goodness that has never happened. They are fun though.

There's only one ride we won't ride again at DisneyWorld-- that's the Expedition Mars space simulator at Epcot. I always thought it would be cool to be an astronaut, you know? Like Star Trek! I should have known it would be trouble when the attendant put new barf bags into our capsule before we took off. I thought I'd be okay cause I knew ahead of time that the simulator would playing with my mind, and I could tell myself it wasn't real. But the problem is the centrifuge action that makes you feel a g-force like they do when spaceships take off. The g-force was real and there was no escape from it. Even my husband was green when we got off of it, and we had to sit down for an hour for the nausea to go away and our hearts to stop pounding. Even that night, I had trouble sleeping because of vertigo. We found out later that people have died on it-- so that's the one ride we refuse to do again! I don't know how the astronauts and fighter pilots do it!

I absolutely love, love, LOVE thrill rides. When my hubby and I return to Vegas to renew our vows in two years, I have vowed to ride all of the rides at the top of the Stratosphere as well as the roller coaster at the top of New York, New York, and any others I have forgotten. The hubby says he will safely observe my mental illness from the ground!

You aren't cursed... your daughter is Lucky! ;) I don't generally go on those things, but have been known to be talked onto one. *smacks head* Not cursed or friends not lucky enough to always get the front, but I still don't like those rides either.

The last time I was at Disney, I freaked out on a ride and it was a baby ride LOL! So, I stay off them now. Of course my friend who came along on the trip had a great laugh. As did everyone else on the ride!

Totally love them which is funny as all heck because I hate riding in cars on roads that have sharp drop offs or one curve after another....but than again no one said I was normal :0)Have a blast-wish I could be there!!!!!

Oh I LOVE them!! It is an addictive passion for me: when we go to Disneyland I spend 80% of my time on all the scariest, highest attractions! I love the thrill and the feeling of free fall! I have a great photo taken one time we rode one: my sister looks terrified, her eyes bulging, my dad looks green like he's about to throw up and I'm laughing so hard I can hardly gulp in any air. Yep, I laugh when everyone else screams (ok, maybe a hytsrei9cal laugh since I don't stop until we get down, but I enjoy the rides so much!!) I can't go too often to Disneyland :-)

I'm not great with upside-down rides. The queasiness factor isn't a good thing. I also won't do any ride that involves free-falling. Disneyland has a ride called Tower of Terror. They strap you in, bring you up to the top, then pretty much drop you. My daughter loves it. Me? Are you kidding, think I'd even try it? Uh...no. Otherwise, I enjoy a good roller coaster ride. Space Mountain and the Matterhorn (both at Disneyland) are a blast!

I am terrified of roller-coasters, but I love the thrill of doing something terrifying--The entire time I'm standing in line, all I'm thinking about is how to get out of this, all the way up until the ride stops! And I always keep my eyes closed--but there is something about the WOOSH!!!! that's exhilarating!!!

I would consider you kind of cursed--if it were me, I'd definitely be asking someone to switch with me, I prefer the safety of the middle!

There are a couple rides that I just won't even consider--Like that Big Drop, where they take you way up high, then drop you to the ground faster than gravity? Also, I won't do those pendulum ones, too freaky!!!

My absolute favorites are the tilt-a-whirl and gravitron, any thing that spins really really fast!!!!!!

I hope you have fun a RWA--It looks amazing!!!! and speaking of amazing...thanks for the giveaway!!!

Hi Kerrelyn. You are a brave soul! I would not get one. I am terrified of heights and anything fast like a coster. Love your books! Really enjoyed your post today. Please don't enter me as I won this book from you. Sue Brandes

I AM definitely scared to death of heights,not sure why,but always have been. Soooo I'm thinking if you are afraid of heights and you got a kid or 2 with you,well you do it for the kids,only praying to all gods and goddess that the kids don't figure out or see just how scared you are. You are a "trooper" and do it with/for the kids....I did it for the boys til they were old enuf to go on the rides by themselves....(to me that seem to be an eternity)...

OMG. I am terrified of sheer vertical drops. It started when I was in my twenties. The airplane I was on when leaving the Bahamas in a hurricane hit an air pocket and the plane fell. It suddenly stopped falling and went forward again but the damage was done. I can't even walk on the upper level of a mall near the center open area. You know when they have glass sides to look over and view the lower level. I hate coasters and even driving along a mountain. It reminds me of the movie Vertigo. I even have a hard time with I Max movies and 3 D movies. It gets worse as I get older and I am even scared for my family to walk along the edge of something or go on a coaster. You don't need therapy. You just do what you have to for your family until you are not able to any longer. Remember eating the mushrooms on a pizza because you then boyfriend, now husband, loved mushrooms but you hated them. We do what we have to because we're Moms. We show no fear, even though we are terrified.I hope you don't have to go on the coasters too long. I am now officially the kiddy ride companion and I love it. Good luck.

I'll try any coaster at least once. There is one coaster that freaked me out. It was at King's Island. I can't remember what it was called but it was housed inside a building!. You get on it in one section of the building and then go zooming off into the other part which is pitch black. There were falls, twists, and loops. And all the while you're in the dark, and can hear the second coaster somewhere else in the building. It freaked me out. I had to ask my friend when be began to slow down if we were horizontal yet. I was THAT disoriented. They wanted to get back on, but I wouldn't budge. (shivers)

In the late '80s,I was tricked intoriding a roller coaster at Knotts Berry Farm. I'm sure it is probablyconsidered much tamer than today's coasters. But with my absolute dread of such rides, I just knew I was gonna die! I was at the park with 100+ of my closest friends from Houston on a HS band trip. Needless to say, I had to be helped from the car onto the plat-form after the ride. I staggered tothe stairs and there they were, allmy best buds, enjoying my reaction!I let them have their fun, but Ihave never ridden a coaster again!Does that give you an idea of howI feel about such rides? I love the parks, just not the roller coasters.

I love rollercoasters and every ride that goes high and curves around to no where. Im afraid of heights but they don't bother me. My daughter and I go every year to ride thr coasters in Hershey. Great post Kerilyn I love your books...Heidi

You know that little snake one they had at Six Flags Astroworld in Houston? That one is my speed. I took my 10 year old there, and he went on every one he was tall enough for! BTW, I live in Bryan, way closer to where you live than where you are in Orlando!

Congrads and I'm looking forward to the signing wed. =)If someone gave me the front row I would say uh no, can I switch please. LoL I'm not good with roller coasters, my husband is very disappointed with this trait in me. It's the straight down that get's me. Although I love Rockin' Roller Coaster at The Studios. I don't know if it's just the great music or what. I will also go on Big Thunder Mtn. because it doesn't have any straight downs. I went on Space Mtn. for the first time in forever when family was down and screamed myself hoarse on that one and thought I was going to have some kind of panic attack. I will not be doing that again anytime soon. And I refuse to be dragged onto Mt. Everest the many times my husband and step-daughter have rode it. But to answer your question I try to stay off of them and if they have straight downs there is no way you will get me on it. I use the great excuse of "Oh shoot, someone has to stay with the kids" (My little one's 2 & 5) And I am dreading when they get big enough to go on these coasters, maybe one of them will be chicken like me and I can keep my excuse not to ride. LoL *fingers crossed*Thanks for the post!

I ride most of the rides, even the scary ones just for the thrill. (; Most of them don't scare me (only the ones 50 billion ft in the air) I can't ride them with any of my siblings...my mom throws up,two brothers are scardy cats, my sister is in a wheelchair so she can't go, and I've never seen my dad ride one. I go with friends.

P.s - Never ridden in the front though, is it even more fun? I hope so.

I'm with you. I would much rather have my feet stay on the ground! My father teased me the whole time we were in line for the Rebel Yell ( I think that's the name) roller coaster at Busch Gardens (it's been a long time so I think that's the right place) that I refused to get on. When my family got off and my brother and sister were green, I felt I had done right by me. lol I even have trouble with the video that shows what it looks like on the ride. Glad you get to stay off this time around and good luck with the curse!

For the most part, I enjoy thrill rides with a mixture of anticipation and terror. There aren't too many that I shy away from but, when I do decide to not to ride, it's usually for the most ridiculously scary ones.

So Jack de Venezia is super hawt:)! Thanks for keeping me counting down the days until your next book comes out; I absolutely love your writing.

And now on to the Amusement Park Segment of my comment. I have a 5 year old that LOVES roller coasters. He is 50" so he can ride pretty much what he wants. He has, in his genious little mind, figured out that Mommy screams louder and is more fun to laugh at on the ride than Dad...so hence, I get to ride the terror-ific coasters with him.

We frequent Six Flags in Arlington, TX...I think they are starting to catch on that I'm a big screamer and put me at the back of the ride...try screaming like a little girl next time, Kerrilyn and your curse may be lifted.Holly from Dallas, TX

I refuse to ride thrill rides. I don't like heights but I hate the feeling of falling the most. I was made to ride a couple of rides as a child that did just that. Now I stay clear of them. I would prefer to get on the ones that spin you around and make you dizzy. I even tried riding a kiddie roller coaster and I screamed my head off something awful. Yeah me and coaster don't get along. :)

i have never liked thrill rides mostly because my mom (whose a nurse) has told me about patients who have been seriously injured from ridding thrill rides, not to mention i've never even been able to make myself to ride the tame ones.

i adore roller coasters and thrill rides. the faster, the higher, the better! i have done those crazy thing attached to bungie cords and just let go. however those rides that mess with your minds dont disappoint with a person like me. call me naive or blonde but by the time my brain realizes that its the room thats spinning and not me, the ride is done. my dad and husband absolutely love putting me on rides like that. my favorite coaster is the hulk at universal studios. it is the fastest ride i think ive ever been on. it took my breath away my last visit. i do hope that there are more attractions that you enjoy other than the coasters. disney has always been one of my favorite places to go. i get to let my inner kid out and have a ball. have a great trip in florida kerrelyn! ~kristin, ny

When I was a child and much younger adult, I loved to go on the rides, the scarier the better. But as a mature adult they scare the hell out of me. The last one I rode was a water ride that spiraled down from a great height and I passed out somewhere before we reached the bottom and they had to carry me off. So much for any future rides, I think that I'll just sit back on the ground and watch from a distance, maybe with a drink in my hand and a smile on me face.

I am an adrenaline junkie. The scarier the better and my son is just like me. We live close to Disney and he has marked his growing years by the height restrictions - 48, 54, and 56 inches. Once he passed the 56 inch mark he was thrilled that he could go on everything. By the way, the front on Big Thunder is actually the slowest. For the best action, the last seat is the best. We always beg for the last seat.

I love your books I can't wait for the next one. As far as the roller coaster bit, I think one person do not have the power to effect to group as a whole. I think all of the members of the family members have to be together for it work. It's just so much fun to scream your head off as a group anyway.